In an unusual series of events, the well-known cliche 'you get what you pan out' got debunked last night.

A friend invited to me to a downtown bar advertising three-dollar drinks for the after-work crowd. I am not a big drinker so that was not the draw for me but I was happy to hang out with my friends, so I went. Big mistake. To pay for these cheap drinks, I had to shell out a $10 cover charge.

Forty-five minutes later, I was out of there. It was too loud to catch up with my friends and unless 'Casual Friday' memos allowed lingerie-inspired club gear in the workplace, it was apparent most people changed to reflect the meat-market atmosphere.

So I flew to the east part of town to seek some sanctuary. The Yoga Sanctuary is celebrating a new addition to its to the College Street location by offering free classes at its Danforth and Broadview studio till June 7.

I felt relaxed already.

I signed in and didn't have pay to the $10 introductory fee for the studio's new members. Mat rentals cost one dollar, but I didn't mind; I yielded quite the return that night.

For 90 minutes, I treated myself to Harmony Yoga in a space with brick-exposed walls, curved ceilings and door-sized windows. The teacher taught gentle Hatha-inspired yoga techniques complemented by live ambient guitar music.

At the end of the class, any stress about the night's earlier disappointments disappeared. Plus, I made significant spiritual and physical gains - at no cost.

The Yoga Sanctuary on the Danforth offers free classes till Tuesday June 7, 2005. For the class schedule, visit http://www.theyogasanctuary.net/

Photos courtesy of The Yoga Sanctuary